Negotiators agree on school support workers’ contract

Published: Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 09:59 PM.

PANAMA CITY — Negotiators for the Bay Education Support Personnel Association and the Bay District Schools reached an agreement on contract talks Monday evening.

The contract now goes to the School Board and BESPA members for ratification.

Pat Martin, chief negotiator for the district, said he’s happy negotiations for the year are over and Jacquelynn Rivers, BESPA president, agreed.

“I am relieved bargaining was not nearly as contentious this year as last,” Rivers said. “None of us went to the bargaining table hoping we would end up at impasse again this year, but it’s hard to be excited about a contract that once again does not provide a pay increase for all ESPs [educational support personnel]. ESPs provide many valuable services for this district that contribute to and support student learning and we would like to feel that what we do is respected and appreciated by the superintendent and the School Board.”

She said she thought this agreement was the best outcome given the decreasing budget.

Martin said this year, it came down to language and insurance.

“Our major issue this year was the need to add language that clarified absenteeism and allowed for sanctions/discipline for employees not coming to work regularly,” Martin said. “The other big issue was the increased cost of insurance, 6.9 percent. The superintendent and School Board had agreed to pay the increase and fortunately BESPA recognized legitimacy of absenteeism and worked with us to draft language that addressed the issue and both sides could live with.”

PANAMA CITY — Negotiators for the Bay Education Support Personnel Association and the Bay District Schools reached an agreement on contract talks Monday evening.

The contract now goes to the School Board and BESPA members for ratification.

Pat Martin, chief negotiator for the district, said he’s happy negotiations for the year are over and Jacquelynn Rivers, BESPA president, agreed.

“I am relieved bargaining was not nearly as contentious this year as last,” Rivers said. “None of us went to the bargaining table hoping we would end up at impasse again this year, but it’s hard to be excited about a contract that once again does not provide a pay increase for all ESPs [educational support personnel]. ESPs provide many valuable services for this district that contribute to and support student learning and we would like to feel that what we do is respected and appreciated by the superintendent and the School Board.”

She said she thought this agreement was the best outcome given the decreasing budget.

Martin said this year, it came down to language and insurance.

“Our major issue this year was the need to add language that clarified absenteeism and allowed for sanctions/discipline for employees not coming to work regularly,” Martin said. “The other big issue was the increased cost of insurance, 6.9 percent. The superintendent and School Board had agreed to pay the increase and fortunately BESPA recognized legitimacy of absenteeism and worked with us to draft language that addressed the issue and both sides could live with.”

In relation to the insurance issue, Rivers said salaries came into play.

“Employees who were eligible for step increases have already received them,” Rivers said. “BESPA proposed an across-the-board pay increase that all ESPs would benefit from, full and part-time employees alike, but the district rejected that proposal. The district offered no across-the-board salary increase but instead offered to pick up all increases in health insurance. With the tentative agreement, many ESPs will not see a pay increase; however they also will not see an increase in their insurance costs.”

She also said many ESPs are not eligible for health-care coverage through the district because they have part-time schedules.

The district proposed picking up the insurance premium increase, but also requested any savings realized from the new employee wellness clinic be kept by the district.

“Savings, if any, realized from the addition of the clinic will go into the district's unencumbered fund balance and be available for sides to discuss how to use next year,” Martin said. “Language that gave district right to keep all such savings was removed.”

Rivers said the language was not a difficult situation.

“There were not many significant language proposals brought to the table, by either BESPA or the district,” Rivers said. “Tentative agreement was signed on new language that will allow an administrator to require verification of illness if an employee is out five or more consecutive days for sick leave. New language also allows an administrator to require this verification earlier than the five days, if the employee is habitually absent. The employee must be made aware of this requirement prior to the first absence where the verification is required.”